Virgin Atlantic's latest campaign is based around an unusual premise: rather than have prospective travelers think about a destination first, Let It Fly asks people consider the items that they'd like to pack.
The items that take up precious suitcase space are incredibly revealing of what a traveler values most, which is what makes this campaign so clever. Some of the virtual items that can be chosen with Let It Fly include pairs of jeans, sun-shielding hats, sandals, cameras, jewelry or scuba gear. Once you've chosen the perfect combination of items, Virgin Atlantic gets to work to suggest a dreamy location to jet off to. After being provided with a few noteworthy spots and a little more info on the location, if you're feeling spontaneous, at the end of the online experience you can even book the trip.
Analytic Trip Generators
Virgin Atlantic's Let It Fly Suggests Trips Based on What You Might Pack
Trend Themes
1. Item-based Travel Planning - Analyzing a traveler's preferred packing items to suggest the best travel destination, providing opportunities for personalized industry-specific travel services.
2. Data-driven User Persona Marketing - Using data gathered from a user's choice of preferred packed items to create personalized advertising and promotional campaigns, disrupting traditional marketing methods.
3. Gamification of Travel Planning - Creating engaging gamified experiences for travelers to better connect them to travel services while providing an opportunity to track customer preferences and optimize services.
Industry Implications
1. Travel and Tourism - Innovations in personalized travel services can boost revenue and provide a valuable marketing tool for travel companies and destinations.
2. Retail - The analysis of user preferences in packing items for travel can provide valuable data for retailers to optimize their product offerings and customer experiences.
3. Digital Marketing - Utilizing user data to create personalized promotions can disrupt traditional marketing methods and provide a competitive advantage for companies.